The Power of Communication
by FanyFanyTiffany
Summary: Can Willow and Kennedy make their love last in Cleveland? This is a W/K story.  Just as a side note, I would've done a W/T story but I chose Kennedy because she has less background for me to use my own ideas. W/T in my next story? This is my first story.
1. Just the Beginning

_Hey everyone!_

_I had this idea racking my brain for quite some time now, so I decided to type it up and post it._

_It's my very first story, so don't be too harsh lol_

_But Read and Review!_

_I'm curious to see how you guys like it ^.^_

_-Tiffany_

The gang had finally settled down in Cleveland after they defeated "The First". Giles had purchased some creepy old warehouse, and several large homes on the outside of town. Most of the buildings surrounding it were old run-down stores, homes, and warehouses that no one had been in for years. It felt like the city was practically handing them whatever land they wanted, seeing as no one else wanted it.

Inside, Xander had put up a few walls that created a storage closet, some private rooms for slayer privacy, and even an office for Giles. They had only been in town for a month but Xander had already been pegged as a regular at the local Hardware store. He had also gotten a job as a supervisor at the local construction sight for some office buildings.

While Xander was busy constructing their new "base", Buffy had continued with the training that the potentials were already receiving. She still called them potential slayers because they all responded to it, and they all referred to Buffy and Faith as the leaders.

Giles was working with Willow and Dawn to recreate the Watchers Council. He was busy trying to contact all the watchers that the Bringers hadn't already killed, and was trying to assign them to their own slayer or group of slayers.

Willow was in constant connection with the Coven, who were tracking the sudden increase in Slayer population throughout the globe. They were sending the slayers in groups of 3-5 every other week.

Dawn was working on her magical knowledge and translation skills. She had been documenting everything about their lives now, and about each slayer, even thou there were over 100 of them now. Dawn loves to be with them. They all had so much confidence. They had so much power. And when Buffy was on patrol they would let her touch the weapons. They were like sisters to her, even thou her real sister meant even more to her.

While the gang was busy settling down in their new town, Faith, Robin, and Andrew had ventured north to Hamilton, Canada take care of a Vampire infestation. Robin and Faith were sharing a room, and they made Andrew taka a room in the hotel not only down the hall, but on another level. They didn't exactly want Andrew to talk their ears off about some video game or comic book they had never heard of.

-_-_Cleveland_-_-

Willow and Kennedy had just moved into their own place. They practically got their own street being that they also got a place in the abandoned section of town. Willow was working on getting to know Kennedy, even thou she had been constantly pulled away from her. And Kennedy was spending most of her time helping Buffy with training, patrolling, helping Xander with the construction.

-_-_Currently_-_-

Kennedy was stomping through the graveyard with a stake in each hand. Her sadness had turned into rage that was so intense, she couldn't stand waiting around anymore for something to happen. She marched right into the tomb and staked the 4 vamps inside. She looked around at the dusty floor, her eyes swelled up with tears. She leaned up against the nearby wall, her forehead pressed into the concrete as she let a few tears drop to the floor. She choked them back and punched the wall repeatedly. She was so angry. So frustrated.

She dropped the stakes to the floor as if she had just lost her will to fight it anymore. The clatter of the wood on the floor seemed to throw her over the edge. She turned to the metal doors of the tomb and threw the doors open. She stormed back into the night with such an intense fury in her eyes; she thought she might just destroy the next thing she saw. She turned the corner and her pace increased ever few steps. Before she knew it, she was running at such high speeds she might just take out anyone in her way.

The slayer could feel the muscles in her legs about to burst, but she didn't stop. The rain was falling hard on her skin as she hurried through the night.

The air seemed so thin… It was like she couldn't take a breath no matter how hard she tried. Her chest was weighed down with all of the uncertainties of her new life in Cleveland. She had just started to get grounded. She had just started to get settled in with the one she loved. But her mind kept thinking "for Willow, it wasn't enough. I was never enough..."

The slayer fell to her knees and began to bawl. She was in the middle of nowhere, and she didn't care. She needed some distance. Or so she thought. She was trying not to feel the overwhelming rush of emotions that flooded her mind and body every time she thought of the witch…

-_-_Earlier That Morning_-_-

The sun shone through the window, and placed its rays on Kennedy's face.

She opened her eyes and smiled at the woman lying next to her. Willow was lying on her side with the sun at her back, and with her front toward at Kennedy.

Kennedy propped her head up with her hand, stared at the redhead, and smiled. She could stare at the Goddess for hours. She was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. Willow's eyes slowly opened, meeting deep brown ones of the woman who had been staring at her for several minutes.

"Good morning." Willow said running her fingers through her red locks, "how long have you been lying there?"

Kennedy just smiled and moved closer to her. She put her hand up to the witch's face. She brushed a few stray hairs to the side and just stroked her cheek, smiling at her.

"Something on your mind?" Willow looked a bit confused because Kennedy hadn't said anything.

Kennedy just shook her head and kept admiring Willow.

"Um… Are you ok?" Willow looked a bit worried, "I couldn't help but notice you not talking. And with you being such a little chatter box, I figured you-"

She was cut off by Kennedy's lips pressed against hers. The kiss burned a whole through every thought in Willow's mind. Their lips moved together in a steady rhythm while their tongues danced. Kennedy broke the kiss as suddenly as she had started it . With a smile she licked her lips and she deep into Willow's beautiful green eye's.

"Wow…I… What was that for?" Willow was speechless. She completely lost her train of thought.

"I just didn't want to ruin a perfect moment," Kennedy whispered, "You're just so beautiful. I didn't want to taint it." She laid a kiss on Willow's lips and they just held each other with their eyed closed.

Willow blushed at the compliment she was given. Willow normally would have found the line a bit cheesy, but whenever Kennedy said anything, she was automatically captivated. Willow would have returned the compliment but she didn't have time to get a word out. Kennedy had gotten up and put her clothes on in the few moments that Willow had her eyes closed. She smiled down at Willow and kissed her on the forehead.

"Where are you going?" Willow was disappointed that she had to go so soon.

"Sorry babe, but I have to go. More training of the new slayers." She hopped back up and brushed her hair in the mirror on the other side of the room.

"So much for out perfect moment." Willow joked as she rolled out of bed. She slipped some pants on and she eventually found her top. Once she was fully clothed she walked over to the slayer and wrapped her arms around the slayers waist, capturing the woman from behind. Willow could feel the slayers muscles ripple beneath her skin as she turned to face her.

Kennedy just smiled shyly at the older woman when she forcefully pulled her close.

"Don't do this Will," she whispered, "if we get stared again I may never be able to leave" she mumbled to the witch.

"Maybe I don't want you to leave." She whispered suggestively into the slayers ear. Kennedy let out a small giggle and she kissed Willow. The kiss got deeper and deeper as the Willow pressed her body to Kennedy's. Kennedy moaned and gently pushed Willow up against the wall behind her. Willow unzipped Kennedy's hoodie, but Kennedy grabbed her hands and held them still.

"Willow," She tried to catch her breath while leaning her forehead against the redhead's, "We can't... I have to go. I'm already late."

Willow gave her a look of approval as she tried to deny the tingling feeling that was enveloping her. "Ok. Wouldn't want you to be late again. Buffy might just kill me this time." She joked as Kennedy slowly turned towards the door.

Kennedy got thru the bedroom door, down the stairs, and was approaching the front door when Willow ran up to her from behind and turned her around and pressed her body firmly against Kennedy's.

"Willow I told you I have to-"

Willow planted a lingering kiss on the slayers lips. Kennedy moaned at the soft feel of the redhead's tongue as it gained access to hers.

"Sorry," Willow smiled as she took a small step back, "Just wanted to get my goodbye kiss."

Kennedy pulled Willow back into her embrace and kissed her again.

Pulling away once again Willow smiled. "Thought you had to go?"

"Gah. Fine. You win this time Red! But when I get back," she send a devilish smile her way, "You're mine."

"Can't wait." Willow said as Kennedy left the house.

The door shut and Willow plopped down on the couch with a smile from ear to ear.

-_-_At Mid Day_-_-

Kennedy was showing the newest slayers some new moves when Buffy gestured for her to come talk to her on the side.

"Ok guys. Partner up and try out the Set we were just working on," Kennedy said while walking over to Buffy, "What's up Buff?"

"Would it be possible for you to get the new volumes that Giles ordered? Well they aren't really new…. They are sort of… Old..." She had a really confused look on her face. "Anyway. He had them sent to your place because Willow wanted to look over the texts."

"Sure. We were all about to break for lunch anyway. I'll head over to our place and get them." She paused for a moment at the thought of the words _Our place. _She loved the way they sounded together. She had never imagined that she would get to settle down with someone she loved so much.

"Sounds great," Buffy said interrupting her thoughts, "And hey, you guys look great out there."

"Thanks." Kennedy smiled and took the complement to heart. She noticed that Buffy had been all business lately. Having her in a good mood, a complimenting mood, was rare and something to take advantage of.

Kennedy arrived home and she could tell that Willow was meditating because the lights were all off and she smelled the candles up stairs melting away.

She walked to the living room and the boxes of the new texts were unopened. It looked as if Willow was more interested in a letter next to them.

She peeked into the already open letter and read from the middle of the page. Only a few parts stood out to her…._ Ms. Rosenberg, we would be very glad to see you on our campus this coming fall…. _

Just when she thought the letter would stop screaming in her face she looked at the bottom and read _Your scholarship will be paid in full… your new one-person dorm room… Brown University_… Kennedy couldn't breathe. She looked at the date on the letter and she realized that it was from a month ago. Willow didn't expect her to find it because she would be gone all day.

She tried to convince herself that if it were anything to worry about Willow would have mentioned it. She would. Wouldn't she?

Kennedy dropped the letter back onto the table and grabbed the box of books and returned to the "base."

She continued with the slayers training, trying to ignore the thought of going back to an empty house. She just pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind.

Buffy saw the books on the table by the entry way and she said into the phone "Hang on Will. I gotta go grab something" She set the phone down and returned with the package. She ripped the tape off the top while Willow began to talk.

"Yea… I finally got that closet open… Yea, the one that was locked. And I got it open without having Kennedy ask to brake the door this time," Willow laughed and continued, "I found some old jackets, some books about fishing, a few rat traps, cardboard boxes, and a bunch of empty luggage. I piled it all just inside the door so I'll remember to throw it out later."

"Sounds like loads of fun Will." Buffy joked as she giggled into the phone.

"Hey! Someone has to do the cleaning up around here. Kennedy is always off training, or helping take out some new threat in town. I only get to see her at night..." Willow paused and smiled to herself. "Not that I'm complaining about seeing her at night… Its just. I mean everything at night is good. I um…" Buffy cut into her soon-to-be-babble.

"Yea I get it Will. Kennedy isn't around a lot. And the sex it good." Buffy joked.

Willow blushed even thou she knew no one could see the embarrassment overwhelming her. "Haha…Yea… Its just," She paused and let out an elongated sigh, "I don't think she feels the same way about me as I see her. I mean. I know she likes me. But I think she just likes me for the…Night time bonding… I love her Buffy. I really do."

"I know Will. And I know she love you too. She is just so shy about the whole 'feelings' thing. I think you just need to warm her up about the topic."

"I guess you're right."

"Hey! So have you decided on whether you are going to take that scholarship to Brown? You totally deserve some serious Willow time. You have spent the last 9 months just hanging around helping with the Slayer stuff."

"Yea… I know I should go. But I would never leave Kennedy. She is everything to me..." Realizing the sudden mood change Willow laughed to herself. "Sorry for the spontaneous serious moment."

"No! It's ok. We totally need some of our old BFF/girl-talk time."

"We really do. But I got to go Buff. Some serious reading about the demons of Ka-Nar."

"Sounds like a grand little party you have going on there." Buffy teased.

"Yea Yea… You go back to teaching people how to kill the undead and I will finish my readings."

"See you later Will. And hey! I'm sure Kennedy will come around. She just needs a little push."

They both clicked the phones down and continued on with their tasks.

_-_- A few Hours later-_-_

Kennedy had finished her training and grabbed her jacket and started walking home. Xander pulled up next to her in his new truck.

"Need a ride kid?" Xander was always trying to seem like the big man around town.

"Not a chance." Kennedy had always known that Xander thought she was hot. But she knew it was all in good fun.

"So what's up?" Xander looked like he was trying hard to start a conversation.

"What do you want Xander?" She folded her arms and gave him a confused look.

"Ok fine you caught me," his face suddenly got serious and he leaned towards her, "I know that you and Willow are really close, but-"

"Oh, don't go giving me the whole 'don't hurt my best friend' speech again." She looked impatient.

"Look, ok. I know how she feels about you. And I just want to double check-"

"More like quadruple check…" she mumbled.

Xander gave her another disapproving look, and she slouched, looking even more impatient than before. She figured she should say something.

"Look Xander. I love Willow. I really-"

"You what?" He looked completely surprised.

"You heard me." She said while trying to hide the redness taking over her face. "I love her," Kennedy smiled and took a deep breath at the though, "And I want to tell her tonight. I think tonight's the night." She began to smile and she started looking nervous. "We've been kinda distant lately, and it's mostly my fault... But I think it's time for us to take this to the next level."

"Well…. I…. Umm. I totally just made a total ass of myself."

"Yea. Pretty much." She joked.

"I think I should… go now." Xander slowly drove off with a wave and she continued on her walk.

Kennedy walked up to the front door and paused at the door. She grabbed the handle, and the effects of her nervousness sunk mind flashed back to the letter on the table. She shook at the thought of going home to an empty house.

She opened the door and saw the luggage next to the door...

_To Be Continued… Maybe… depends if you like it or not lol_

I wasn't sure where to stop lol... So I ended up posting most of the story. But give me feedback, Too long? Too short? Too boring?

_So leave me some reviews and you'll get another chapter =D_


	2. Words Can Cut Like a Knife Or a Dagger

_Hey =)_

_Sorry it took me so long to update. I had to write a 10,000 word paper for class within two days =/_

She opened the door and saw the luggage next to the door. She froze and she could feel the air get knocked out of her as she fell to her knees. The room began to spin and she could feel her heartbeat in her throat. She tried to stand up but her knees were still in shock. She reached her hand up and grabbed the doorknob. Under her stress she pulled the doorknob right out of the door and she dropped it on the floor.

She got to her feet and grabbed some stakes that she had left by on the coffee table earlier that day. She grabbed the letter, still on the table, and slowly crumpled it up ion her hand. Willow heard the dropping of the doorknob and ran downstairs. She saw Kennedy from behind and she walked towards her. Kennedy dropped the letter and Willow stopped approaching.

"Kennedy. No, I-" She was panicking at the idea of Kennedy's confusion.

"You weren't even going to tell me?" Kennedy turned towards her. Tears were threatening to flood her eyes. "S-so you just got out some bags and decided to leave?"

"Kennedy," Willow took a step towards her. But with her one step closer Kennedy awkwardly shuffled two steps back. She reached out to touch Kennedy but she pulled away quickly.

"Don't." Kennedy's words cut into Willow's heart like a knife. Kennedy was trying so hard not to let her frustration get the best of her. She knew she needed some distance from Willow as soon as possible. Kennedy was well aware that when she became a slayer, she wasn't only changed in the physical sense; she changed from being known as a "Bratty Kennedy" to being knows as "Anger Management Kennedy".

"Kennedy... I... It's not-" Willow was trying to hard to explain, but her mind was racing with fear and confusion.

"Just…. I- I need some air" Kennedy held the stakes and stormed out trying not to wet the floor with her tears.

The room blurred together as her eyes filled with water as Willow watched Kennedy leave. It was as if she finally had something that was hers, and only hers in front of her, and the next second she was gone.

Although Willow knew it wasn't all her fault that Kennedy had misunderstood, she had to have gotten the idea from somewhere.

_Oh my god... What have I done? _Willow thought as she forced her legs to move.

She got her thoughts in line and ran to the phone…

-_-_ Current time _-_-

… The slayer fell to her knees and began to bawl. She felt like she was truly in the middle of nowhere, but in reality she was just on the other side of the large city. She needed some distance... or so she thought. She was desperately trying to ignore the overwhelming rush of emotions that flooded her mind and body every time she thought of the witch.

The tears blurred her vision as she tried to get off the sidewalk. She lay down on a cold cement park bench and closed her eyes. She crossed her broken hand across her chest and tried to take a breath.

-_-_ Meanwhile_-_-

"Willow calm down and tell me what's going on." Buffy had received a call from Willow just minutes ago, but unfortunately she couldn't understand anything the woman said through her sobs.

Willow took a deep breath while wiping her eyes on a wrinkled white tissue she had been grasping onto. "Kennedy... She... I messed up, Buffy... She left, a-and it's all my fault..." Willow broke down once again, but Buffy still didn't understand.

"Willow, what EXACTLY happened? I'm sure it's not as bad as you think."

Willow then explained how she and Kennedy had been unusually distant lately and how Willow managed to scare Kennedy away with just some luggage and her mail.

"Oh... That is bad..." Buffy mumbled, receiving a slight nod and a sniffle in response from her friend, "Well... Can't you use a locator spell on her or something?"

"I tried that... but she's been moving too quickly for me to get an exact lock on her. " Willow gestured to the map and candles she has laid out on the floor across the room from them.

"It's going to be okay, Will." Buffy held her friend close while she shook in her arms. "Hey, you know what?" Willow lifted her head to meet her gaze, "We're going to find her. Okay?"

"Okay…" Willow sat up, out of her friend's arms and gazed over at the mantle, seeing a picture of Kennedy and herself holding hands on the beach.

"Keep trying the locator spell. I'm going to call Xander and get him up to date on the situation. Then I'm going to go out and try to find her." Buffy gave her friend a sympathetic smile and held her hand lightly. "We ARE going to find her Willow. Remember what I said… Once you fall for Willow, you stay fallen."

Willow forced a smile, and they both stood and set off to their destinations.

Buffy managed to get a hold of Xander, who was still working on setting up the new "Slayer Base", even though it was almost 9 o'clock at night.

After the explanation that Buffy provided, he dropped what he was doing and started driving over to Willow's place.

"You all set up Will?" Buffy looked down at the witch, seated in a candle-lit area featuring a local map.

"Yea. You ready?" Willow was shaking slightly, barely holding back her discomfort at the situation.

"Whenever you are. Xander is on his way over to stay here while we go find her."

"Okay… Here we go then…" Willow took a deep breath and began to recite the locator spell when she felt a sharp pain resonating from within her chest.

"AH!" She screamed at the sudden pain, causing Buffy to run over to her.

"Willow! Willow, what's going on? Are you okay?" Buffy held her friend who had just began recovering from the outburst.

Willow began leaning forward on the ground, almost as if she had been punched in the gut several times.

"I-… AHH!" She was interrupted by another sharp pain from her chest. Willow sat up enough to lift her shirt several inches, reavieling her left side. Neither of them saw any sort of cut or bruise, so she dropped her shirt back down. After a few minutes of intense pain, she was breathing shallowly as her body began to get back to normal.

"Willow, talk to me!"

"It's-" She winced at some new soreness around her body, "Its Kennedy…"

"What do you mean 'its Kennedy'?"

"Something happened to her…" Willow's eyes began filling with tears as she leaned up against the wall behind her, reveling the map below her. She was now extremely exhausted, but she knew sleeping would do nothing to help Kennedy.

Buffy did everything she could to comfort her friend when she realized the locator spell had worked. The map had a tiny golden light shining on a park several miles away.

"Willow… the spell worked. She's in a park on the other side of town."

"We need to go find her-" Willow attempted standing up, but Buffy guided her back down the wall. She was obviously still in a lot of pain. "Buffy… I need to find her. I need to know that she's okay… I need to make things alright."

"No… You stay here… Xander should be here any moment. He can stay with you while I go find Kennedy." Just as the last words came out, Xander opened the front door and Buffy ran over to him, once again explaining what was going on.

"Oh my god. Willow…" Xander walked over to her and kneeled at her side.

"Xander…" Willow forced the words out just before she passed out from exhaustion.

"Is she going to be okay?" He pulled a blanket on top of her and dabbed the sweat off her forehead with a nearby tissue.

"I don't know… But I need to go find Kennedy." Buffy grabbed a pad of paper and a pen to jot down the directions to the park. She then grabbed her coat and car keys and headed for the door.

"Be careful Buffy!" Xander shouted as she opened the door to leave.

"Always…" She briskly walked to her car, got in, and fired up the engine.

-_-_ A few minutes ago at the park_-_-

Kennedy was trying to hard to sleep away her troubles, but she never got a moment of rest. She would close her eyes and she would see the picture of Willow and her holding hands on the beach. It not only hurt to see Willow, but to imagine herself trying to be again without the redhead holding her hand.

She began closing her eyes again when she heard a twig snap in the trees nearby. She sat up and held her shattered hand close to her chest by wrapping it around her front.

Some rustling in the bushes caught her attention and she was instantly to her feet, ready to fend off any attack coming her way. Just as she turned around to face the bushes making the noise, she was met with a quick punch to the face.

Retaliating with a kick to the attacker's chest, Kennedy had the higher ground as she had knocked him back into the trees. The cloaked man pulled a dagger out of its sheath and lunged her way. She dodged each quick jab by jumping from side to side, but was soon pinned up against a nearby tree.

The Bringer back- handed her across the face, causing some blood to begin trailing its way from the corner of her mouth. He kneed her broken hand and held his left arm against her throat, pinning her to the tree. The dark man brought his right arm back, ready to burry the blade deep within her gut. Just as it was about to break her skin she grabbed onto his wrist with her left, un-broken hand.

They struggled for control over the weapon, for she was exhausted from having such a long, stressful night. He was gaining control, and she closed her eyes and prepared herself for the end.

Before she could even process it, the man was gone, and she was loosing the feeling in her legs. She could only feel herself sliding down the tree, scratching her back as warm sticky liquid coated her left side.

She looked around and saw the man running away as fast as he could. She then glanced down; only to catch onto the fact the indeed, the dagger was buried deep within her front. She began loosing consciousness when she saw something that caught her attention.

Kennedy had always expected a white light, or to see her life flash before her eyes. But not this time.

As she was laying on the dirty ground below a tree, with a dagger sunk into her front, all she could see was the same image of Willow holding her hand.

Kennedy then felt the pain begin to sink in as she grasped the cold steel handle of the dagger. Without a moment of hesitation, she pulled it out of her side, causing the blood to run smoothly out of her wound.

Kennedy held the dagger and rolled over slightly, so she was now kneeling with her left hand assisting her balance. She took a deep breath, forced herself to stand, and stumble out to the bench she was previously sitting on. She tried to merely pass by the bench, but she ended up collapsing on it.

Just as everything was going black, she was picked up and carrier off somewhere…

_I know it's shorter than the first chapter, but I'm planning on adding another (short) chapter tonight =)_

_Pleeeease write reviews! I'd love to know what people are thinking!_


	3. Cough Cough

_Hey guys. Sorry for the lack of updates as I promised, so I'm posting chapter 3 and 4 right now =)_

_don't forget to review! I'd love to know what you're all thinking!_

-_-_6 minutes later, in the hospital_-_-

"Doctor! She needs a doctor!" Buffy came running into the hospital struggling to carry Kennedy. A nurse ran over to her and guided her over to a gurney.

"What happened?" The nurse asked as one of her colleges began to take her pulse as another began pushing the gurney down the hall.

"I don't know… She's a friend of mine. I found her in the park about 10 minutes ago. I-Is she going to be alright?" Buffy walk along side the hospital staff as they headed for an available operating room.

"Miss you are going to have to wait out here." The nurse stopped Buffy and left the others take Kennedy into the back room. She was obviously struggling to hold onto any life she had left in her.

"But-"

"Only hospital staff is allowed in the operating room." The nurse gestured to the 'Staff Only' sign. "I'm sorry but you are just going to have to wait in the Lobby like everyone else. Now, if you will excuse me, I have lives to save." The nurse began to walk through the double doors, while nodding to the large security man that was standing by.

He walked over to Buffy and began escorting her out to the Lobby when she smacked his hands off her.

"I'm going, I'm going… No need to get all handsy about it…" She then walked outside and pulled her cell phone out of her pocket, dialing Xander's phone number.

"Did you find her?" Xander asked without even thinking about who might have been calling.

"Yea. She… uh-"

"Here, I'll put you on speaker…"

"No Xander, I-" Buffy didn't want to have to explain how she found Kennedy, especially because Willow was now able to hear.

"Buffy? Where is she? Can I talk to her?" Willow foreword, leaded off the wall and spoke straight at the phone.

"Willow… I found her about 10 minutes ago. In the park…" Buffy swallowed hard and tried to find the easiest way to say what she had to say. "Kennedy was-"

"Buffy… Put Kennedy on the phone…" Willow's eyes were threatening to fill with tears.

"She…" Buffy mustered up all the courage she had inside of her and said exactly what happened. "Willow, I found Kennedy in the park. She was collapsed on a park bench…"

Willow took a deep breath and held it.

"She was attack by a Bringer and…"

The tears overflowed Willow's eyes.

"He stabbed her and ran off… I didn't see him. It looked like he was long gone." Buffy was afraid that her friend would be in a balled-up state of tears. But it was just the opposite. Willow was in complete shock at this point. She lets the tears fall in silence as Xander held her close. "But she's going to be okay now. I brought her to the hospital and they're taking care of her right now… Okay?"

"Which hospital…" Willow's voice was stern and low.

"Um… St Vincent. On 22nd street." The line went silent. "Willow? Xander?" She looked at her phone, only to see that they had hung up on her.

Willow stood and straightened her shirt while heading for the door.

"Xander, can you drive?"

"Uh, yea." He grabbed her keys off the ground and followed her out to the car. "Willow," he stopped her just before she got in the car, "Are you sure you want to do this right now? I mean… We don't even know anything for sure yet."

"Xander, I've screwed so many things up with my relationships. Oz left out of love for me; in fear that he would hurt me. And Tara left me in fear I would hurt others by getting too caught up in magic. And I never took the time to actually appreciate that… until she was lying dead in my arms…" Willow's gaze fell to the ground and her eyes became submerged in tears. She clenched her teeth together, barely holding herself up. "And now the one person who actually makes me happy again is _dying_ on the other side of town all because I-" Her throat seemed to close as she tried to hold back any more tears.

Xander caught that she was blaming herself for everything, even though he was only slightly sure at what was going on with the couple.

"You, what?"

"She went out and nearly got herself killed… all because I could tell her that I love her." Willow now spoke with so much confidence, it caught Xander off-guard.

He wiped the tears off her cheeks and she fell into his arms.

"It's okay, Will… It's going to be okay." He held her close as she bawled endlessly into his shoulder. "And Will," She lifted her head up and looked him in the eye, "It's not your fault that Kennedy over reacted. She did it because she's in love with you too." She looked at him in confusion for a moment, "She told me so."

"She told you? Since when have you and Kennedy been all buddy-buddy?"

"You know how good I am with the ladies…" Willow giggled a little, "And also how good I am with the heart-to-hearts."

"Yea… Have my own experiences with those…"

"I remember… I was there haha" The two of then laughed a little and got into the car.

After several minutes of weeping and comforting, they managed to both get into the car and began driving to the Hospital.

By the time they arrived, Willow had calmed down slightly, but her nervousness had grown immensely.

The two of them walked into the Lobby, found Buffy, and they all sat together in silence as they waited for any news on what was going on with Kennedy.

-_-_Inside the Operating Room_-_-

"We need to stop this bleeding." One doctor leading the operation was calling the orders as the team of other doctors tended to Kennedy. The people in the room consisted of the leading doctor, a nurse, two women (the younger of the two was there mostly for observation purposes), and one man.

Kennedy's ears seemed to be failing her, causing every noise to make it seem like she was underwater. Her vision had gone almost going hazy from the panic that was plaguing her mind and body.

"It seems that she has something lodged in her wound…" The younger woman had noticed a small shiny object beneath his fingers while she was trying to stop the bleeding.

"Forceps." A short, stout woman demanded. She pushed them into the wound and pulled out the small metal object, placing it in a metal tray with a clank. Kennedy felt the cold metal forceps dig into her, and she writhed in pain.

She closed her eyes and let the noise around her fade away as she began drifting in and out of consciousness. The moment she laid her eyes to rest, her mind brought her back to that same photo of Willow and her holding hands. Her breath caught in her throat, and she shot up into a sitting position.

"Vital status?" the lead doctor asked while attempting to disinfect her stab wound.

"Her heart rate is going through the roof…" The same, short woman pointed out as the man next to her forced Kennedy back into a lying position.

"No… No! I have to go…" Kennedy began to try forcing herself off the bed, but she had no strength left in her. He continued to hold her down/

"I'm giving her a sedative…" The same male doctors said as he reached over to a rolling cart next to him to grab a syringe. He proceeded to inject a cloudy liquid into her arm.

"No…. I… I have to… Willow…" Kennedy's words trailed off, catching the attention of the young woman observing her reactions to.

"Willow? Who's Willow?" She asked as the others continued to work on her wounds.

"Willow… She's… I need… Willow." Kennedy tried forcing out any explanation that she could, but the sedative was working too quickly. The nurse who was speaking to her was quickly brought out of her thoughts by a loud voice across the table from her.

"Vitals?" The leader asked as Kennedy fell asleep.

"Heart rate is has increased." The older woman responded abruptly.

"Keep tabs on her heart rate… It's increasing at a dangerous rate." The leader pointed out to the rest of them.

"Temperature has reached 102." The nurse added.

-_-_In the Lobby_-_-

Willow had been pacing back and forth in the lobby for several minutes now. Her heart felt like it was going to explode it was beating so fast. She had her hands buried deep into the depths of her jean pockets, fiddling with a couple coins that remained in there.

She let out a deep sigh and ran her fingers through her hair, trying to keep herself as awake as she could.

"Willow, why don't you take a seat? The doctors will let us know the moment they figure everything out" Buffy was trying her best to calm her down. Willow was obviously at the breaking point of exhaustion, but she didn't seem to mind all that much.

"Buffy, it's my fault that there IS anything for them to figure out!" She stopped pacing and lowered her gaze to the floor, "If I would have just told her-"

-_-_ ER-

"She's flat lining!" The large male doctor announced as the nurse turned around and began charging a machine behind her.

"Defibrillator!" the lead doctor shouted.

"Charged… and… Clear!"

-_-_Lobby-

Willow's breath had caught in her throat for a moment.

"Kennedy…" She mumbled to herself as she turned towards the entrance to the wing of the hospital Kennedy was being held in. Noticing Willow's sudden outburst, Buffy got up and walked over to her friend.

"What is it, Will?" Buffy put her arm on the redheads arm, but Willow jerked it away from her touch. "Hey… Willow? Are you alright?"

-_-_ER

"Charged!"

"And… Clear!" The jolt sent Kennedy's body up off the table several inches, and she landed back down with a thud.

-_-_Lobby

Willow's breath caught in her throat once again.

"Kennedy's going to be just fine, Will." Buffy tried comforting her friend, who was only being held back from charging into Kennedy's room now by Buffy's hand on her arm. "Come on. Come sit with us."

"No." Willow pulled out of Buffy's grasp and headed off towards the ER.

"Willow!" Buffy knew chasing after her would do no good, so she opted for calling after her embarrassingly loud.

Willow stopped dead in her tracks. She felt a sudden pain in her chest unparallel.

-_-_ER

"She's gone…" One of the youngest doctors mumbled, obviously never before seeing one of her patients die before her eyes.

"I'm calling it. Time?" The leader of the operation pulled his facial mask down and sighed heavily.

"12:18"

"Alright… Good performance out there everyone. It was just no use..." They all began removing their gloves when-

*Beep…. Beep…. Beep….*

"What?" The largest man turned around and began walking back over to the machine.

"It must be a mistake…" The leader suggested. "A cross of wires in the machine, maybe."

"No…" said the young woman who was talking with Kennedy earlier, "She's back…"

"That can't be." The leader walked over to the table and put his fingers on Kennedy's neck, feeling for a pulse. "My god… She's alive…"

-_-_ Lobby

Willow regained control of her breath and took off down the hall as quick as she could. She got to the door and was ready to charge in, when a security guard came over and blocked her way.

"Miss I'm going to have to ask you to wait outside."

Willow closed her eyes and let her frustration well up inside her till she was almost ready to burst. She put her hand up to the man's chest and let the power start flowing through her.

"What the…" The man looked down into her eyes, only to see that they were black as night.

Willow was ready to throw the man across the world with her magic, but she stopped when she heard the commotion from within the room.

"M-miss… Please… Back up from the door." The guard was obviously shaken up a bit, but he stood his ground as best he could.

"Shh!" Willow put her finger to his lips and he stood there, frozen in fear of the small woman.

"Doctor… the bleeding has stopped…" The nurse put a piece of cloth over Kennedy's wound and removed it, revealing no blood on the white cloth.

"Impossible!" He walked over from the heart monitor and took a look. "Absolutely impossible… "

"Her heart rate is returning to normal." The eldest woman said.

"What the hell is going on with this Woman… She shouldn't even be alive after what she'd been through." The man wondered to himself.

"Must be a miracle…" Everyone in the room turned to see a small redheaded woman in the doorway.

*Cough…Cough-cough*

_Please review! _


	4. Resolve Face

_Here's chapter 4!_

_Tell me what you think._

"Doctor, she's conscious." The nurse whispered to him as Kennedy began opening her eyes. She began gasping for air, having not taken a breath in several minutes. Everything was a blur, but she instantly noticed that all the pain in her body has decreased a significant amount.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" the lead doctor asked as he say the woman in the doorway.

"Kennedy…" Willow's heart sunk when she saw her girl lying shirtless and bloody on a raised table. Kennedy had one arm in a cast, a half-stitched stab would, a split lip, and .

"Who is this woman? Guard!" The lead doctor was finishing the stitching on the stab wound, but the presence of the mysterious woman was stressing him out.

"Miss please, come with me…" The guard grabbed Willow's arm and started to pull her out of the room.

"No! I'm not going anywhere." Willow shoved him off and flashed her eyes a dark black, to scare him off.

"Miss please. The moment they are ready for you, I'll let you in, but until then, please just step out into the hall with me for a moment." Willow obliged and closed the door behind her. The moment she was on the other side of the door, her eyes welled up with tears. It was her fault that Kennedy was hurt.

Kennedy recognized the voice speaking her name and arguing with the guard, but she figured she must have been imagining it. She only moved when she felt the doctor finish her stitches.

"Wow… easy there kiddo…" the male doctor said to her as she lifter her head and started trying to sit up.

"No… I have to go…" Kennedy sat up and winced at the pain still in her side. She went to brush the hair out of her face, but was met with a hard surfaced cast covering her hand. "Great…"

"Kennedy, how are you feeling?" The youngest woman was very concerned with her well-being after the few words they exchanged earlier.

"Kinda like I punched a wall and got stabbed." Kennedy used her other hand to push the hair out of her face. "Look guys… I'd love to stay and chat, but I have to go. But I really have important things to get to…" She began standing up when the same girl came over to catch her from slipping on the floor.

"Willow, right?" the girl said as she helped Kennedy into a blue hospital shirt.

"Yea, how did you-"

"You kept mentioning her earlier. She has to be pretty damn important to be what was technically your last words. " The girl grabbed a damp cloth and gently wiped the blood from Kennedy's mouth and around her face. "And plus, I think she's here." The girl smiled gestured to the doorway.

Kennedy spun around so fast she popped one her stitches, causing her skin to tear slightly. She ignored the pain and the blood now running down her side.

"Miss, please just slow down, we still need to run some tests before we let you leave." The lead man said as she started for the door.

"You can't hold me here against my will…" Kennedy placed her hand on the door knob, but turned her head to face the young woman who had been talking with her. "Thanks-"

"Elle." The girl finished her sentence with a smile. "My name's Elle."

"Well, thank you, Elle." Kennedy turned to the door again and opened it slowly. She stepped out into the hall and frowned when she say no one but the guard standing there.

"In the Lobby." The guard said from behind her, catching her by surprise.

"Huh?"

"The girl. Small red headed one. She went back out to the Lobby."

"Thanks…" Kennedy started off down the hall when the man shouted after her.

"Other way, Miss." He chuckled a little to himself, "Unless you were planning on exiting and going around the entire building."

"Not so much…" Kennedy turned around and set herself in the correct direction as she gave the guard a short smile and nod of approval.

Out in the Lobby, Buffy and Xander had gone home to get some things while Willow waited for any news on how Kennedy was recovering.

Willow walked up to the counter and asked again if there was any news.

"Honey I already told you," The woman spoke with a thick southern accent, "We won't be recievin' any information until the patient has been moved from the Emergency room to a permanent room. I'm sorry but you'll just have to wait." Willow frowned and fiddled with her fingers for a moment. "Look… how about you go for a walk or something, give your mind a rest from this place. I have you're phone number written in the check-in list. I'll call you if we find out anything new. Alright?"

"Thanks." Willow smiled at the woman and sighed as she buried her hands in her front pockets and headed for the door.

She took a few steps outside and noticed that it was starting to rain lightly. She exhaled lightly and walked out into the rain, her hands still in her pockets. The rain left little drops in her hair and on her clothes as she walked along the paved path.

Willow stopped at the top of a small hill, and began to cry. The rain cam down harder the harder the cried. She stood in the rain until her clothes were soaked and her hair was drenched. Wiping the tear from her eyes did her no good because they just kept coming down along side the rain.

She blamed herself for everything. She blamed herself for Kennedy being so distant, for the misunderstanding with the letter, for not being able to find her quick enough… She knew nothing would ever be the same.

Kennedy stood looking around the Lobby for the redhead, but no luck. She walked up to the front desk and caught the attention of one of the receptionists.

"Hi, have you seen a girl waiting in here-"

"Girl? Redhead? Green eyes? Cute as a button?" the southern woman described Willow in scary detail.

"Uh… Yea… How did you-"

"She's been here all day waiting for some girl in the ER… I told her to try and go for a walk."

"Thanks." Kennedy turned and walked out into the rain. She stood in the entrance, looking around in the dense rain for any sign of her girl.

She saw the small outline of a person standing on a hill in the distance. She knew it couldn't hurt her any more to go and see who it was, so she headed off in that direction.

Willow was standing with her back to the hospital, crying her eyes out. She thought she would have run out of tears by now, but there seemed to be an endless supply.

As Kennedy got closer and closer she could the figure shaking slightly. But they weren't shaking from the cold, they were crying. Kennedy got even closer and she could hear the sobs of the person.

Willow tried to calm herself, but she knew she wouldn't be able to think clearly until Kennedy was out of the hospital and in her arms.

Kennedy was only about 15 feet away when she realized that she had been walking in the right direction. She stood there frozen for a moment. The sight of Willow made her unbelievably happy, but the sight of Willow crying, made her unbelievably heart-broken. Kennedy took very slow and careful steps towards the girls. She was only about 5 feet away from Willow now. She decided to walk around to her front to get a good look at her.

Willow had slowed her sobs to a steady stream of tears. She could have sworn she heard someone behind her, but she figured it must have been the rain beating down on some leaves or something. She tilted her head down to the ground and opened her eyes, revealing her soaked shoes and jeans.

Kennedy took a few steps forward. She was now within touching distance of Willow. The rain had slowed down to a light drizzle.

Willow's eyes were shocked to see another pair of shoes join her space, and she stopped crying for a moment.

"You know I hate it when you cry…" Kennedy lifted up Willow's chin and wiped the tears on her cheeks.

"Kennedy?" Willow was barely able to speak now, and she wasn't sure that she was feeling quite sane the moment for this to even be real.

"Willow I'm so sorry that I screwed everything up, I just-" Kennedy was interrupted with Willow's lips on hers.

Willow pulled back from the kiss and stared into Kennedy's eyes.

"Sorry… I just had to make sure I wasn't imagining you…" Willow smiled and Kennedy returned the smile.

Kennedy pulled Willow back into a kiss, but this time she opened her mouth and let her tongue tease Willow's bottom lip. This caused Willow to moan and open her mouth, letting the other girl in. The moment their tongues touched, the hairs on the back of Kennedy's neck stood up. She put her hands on the other girl's waist and pulled their bodies closer. Willow wrapped her arms around Kennedy's neck, assisting in deepening the already intense kiss that was taking place.

Willow took a small step forward and pushed her body firmly against Kennedy's, causing the Slayer to moan. But this moan wasn't a moan of pleasure…

"Kennedy, are you alright?" Willow asked puling back from the kiss and out of their embrace.

"Yea…" Kennedy could barely catch her breath after that kiss. Willow looked down and saw that Kennedy's shirt was stained with blood, and that it was not running down her leg and soaking through her jeans.

"Oh my god…" Willow started to pull up the bottom of Kennedy's shirt.

"Willow, I'm fine. Trust me…" Kennedy took a small step back form Willow, trying to avoid the subject of her running off and getting stabbed.

"Kennedy… You don't have to be the strong one all the time. You need to let me in."

"I can't…" Kennedy's words hurt more than anything.

"Kennedy, please. You don't have to be scared of anything." Willow took a step closer to Kennedy and looked into her eyes.

"Yes… I do." Kennedy looked down for a moment, trying to avoid Willow's piercing eyes.

"Like what?" Willow was more confused than ever.

"Like you." Kennedy knew that came out wrong, but she couldn't think of a way to make it sound better.

"Oh… I see…" Willow backed up several feet and started walking away. She imagined that Kennedy must be afraid of her magic. Of her power.

"No, no, no! I didn't mean it like that…"

"Then what do you mean? Because it's really hard to have you here one minute and gone the next." Willow was trying her hardest not to just breakdown in frustration with the woman. Kennedy took Willow's hands in hers and held them tight.

"Willow I love you more than anything on this planet… What really scares me is that every time you look me in the eye I can't breathe. And every time you touch me it feels like I'm on fire… But what scares me the most, is that idea that one morning I could wake up and you wouldn't want to be with me anymore. I was scared that I could wake up, and you would be gone."

"When I found the letter and came home to the luggage… I knew it had to be over… The first few days after I found out I was a potential I thought I was scared. And when I was told I had to leave my entire life behind to go to Sunnydale, I thought was scared. And thought I was especially scared when we went to battle The First." Kennedy took a small step forward and looked Willow in the eyes, "But nothing scared me more than the moment I realized how much I am in love with you…"

Kennedy's eyes were welling up with tears and she was having trouble talking.

"Kennedy…" Willow's eyes were filled with tears, "I was never planning on leaving you…"

"Then what was-"

"It was all a misunderstanding. But I know that you had to be getting those ideas from somewhere…" Willow let her gaze fall to their hands, and she tightened her grip on Kennedy, almost as if she was afraid she might walk away.

"It's just that we've been so distant lately, and I was afraid it might be happening for a reason." Kennedy also looked down a their hands and returned the grip, "I just didn't want to have to watch you leave."

"So you decided to be the one to leave?"

"We both know I'm not exactly the brains of this operation." They both gave a short-lived smile.

"I never really ever thought about even going to that college. It's too far from all my friends, and my new home… and, you. Kennedy I'm so sorry for all of this and for everything I put you through. A-and now you're bleeding all over the place and it's all my fault because I'm the reason you ran off in the first place and-" Kennedy interrupted her babble again with a kiss that got deeper and deeper by the moment. Kennedy pulled back with a smile as she put her hand in the side of Willow's head, asking her silently not to go anywhere.

"You know… I said I may not be the brains of the operation, but you really do talk too much." They both smiled and Kennedy pulled Willow back into a kiss.

Willow didn't hesitate this time. She opened her mouth almost immediately and let Kennedy in. She felt Kennedy's tongue ring inside her mouth, and she couldn't take it anymore. She put her hands on the side of Kennedy's head and slowly pulled the two of them down onto the ground. Kennedy was now lying on top of Willow, with her left hand holding herself up above the red head. Getting a little carried away, Willow slowly slid her hand under Kennedy's shirt, but stopped when Kennedy winced in pain.

"Kennedy-We have-to get you-Back to-the doctor…" Willow said in between kisses.

"Naw, I'm fine thanks." Kennedy began kissing down Willow's neck.

"Kennedy. You need to see a doctor."

"You know I hate hospitals more than anything…"

"But you need to!"

"Willow, I'll be fine! I just-"

"Resolve face." Willow pointed to her face, and Kennedy pouted a little. "Nope. Sorry. Pouty face is no match for Resolve Face."

"Fine," Kennedy made her way back up to Willow's face, "But you know I won't go down without a fight." She gave the classic Sexy Kennedy Smile.

"Okay… But you know I'll win." Willow smiled back at her.

"Oh yea? And how's that?" Kennedy moved even closer to Willow's face.

"You really wanna know?"

"Yeah… How in the world would you beat me in a fight? I'm already on top." Kennedy licked her lips and moved in a little more.

"Like this…" Willow took two fingers and poked Kennedy right in her stab wound.

"Ah!" Kennedy winced in pain and rolled off of Willow. "Alright, fine. You win…"

"Mhmm." Willow stood up and reached for Kennedy's good hand to pulled her up from the ground. Kennedy grabbed hold, but instead of pulling herself up, she pulled Willow down into her lap. She kissed the surprised redhead.

"Hey! That's cheating!" Willow was obviously not too upset.

"Sorry… Just needed one more for the road…" Kennedy stood and helped Willow up, walking off toward the Hospital hand-in-hand.

_Don't forget to review! I might just end the story if no one is actually reading it._

HEY GUYS! ANY SUGGESTIONS? I'VE RUNNING LOW ON IDEAS, BUT I REALLY WANT TO KEEP THIS GOING! FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ME OR LEAVE A REVIEW ABOUT ANY IDEAS YOU HAVE. THANKS! -TIFFANY


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